1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to Short Message Service (SMS) between private wireless network systems in a multi-zone arrangement and, more particularly, to SMS between private wireless network systems in a multi-zone arrangement in which, when a subscriber subscribed to each private wireless network system in different zones moves from one service area to another service area in the private wireless network system in the multi-zone arrangement, the subscriber can receive SMS from the private wireless network system in the area that the subscriber has moved to.
2. Description of the Related Art
The private wireless network systems in the multi-zone arrangement are configured as a single system in which the same kind of private wireless network systems are positioned in different zones. The system is adapted to allow a wireless terminal to receive a call roaming service and other additional services (e.g., an SMS service) by transferring subscriber information between the private wireless network systems, when each wireless terminal registered in the private wireless network systems positioned in the different zones moves from a service area of the private wireless network system on which the terminal has been registered into a service area of another private wireless network system. That is, it is a system in which respective private wireless network systems positioned in the multi-zone arrangement are configured to act like one private wireless network system, such that although a wireless terminal moves into a service area of a private wireless network system in any zone, it can receive a variety of services from the private wireless network system in the associated zone.
Typically, the private wireless network systems perform services only for subscriber terminals registered in the associated system. Thus, if the associated wireless terminal moves into a service area of a private wireless network system in another zone, the terminal cannot receive any service from the private wireless network system in the zone that the terminal has moved to. That is, the wireless terminal registered in the associated private wireless network system can receive an outgoing call service, an incoming call service and any other functional services, such as an SMS service, only in the private wireless network system on which the terminal has been registered.
As a result, the private wireless network system according to the prior art could offer a call service and other additional services, such as the SMS service, only to wireless terminal subscribers registered in its own system. Consequently, when a wireless terminal registered in the private wireless network system moves into a service area of a private wireless network system in another zone, the call service and the SMS service are not available. That is, the SMS service in the conventional private wireless network system could be offered only to the terminals that have been registered in one private wireless network system and positioned in the service area of the associated system.
For example, assuming that two private wireless network systems have been disposed in New York City and Boston, respectively, SMS message transmission between home users of the two private wireless network systems was impossible since there is no interfacing between these two systems.
The following patents each discloses features in common with the present invention but do not teach or suggest the inventive features specifically recited in the present application: U.S. Patent Application No. 2001/0030957 to McCann et al., entitled METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR ROUTING MESSAGES IN A COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK, published on 18 Oct. 2001; U.S. Patent Application No. 2002/0061745 to Ahn et al., entitled ROAMING SERVICE SYSTEM FOR GSM SERVICE SUBSCRIBER IN CDMA SERVICE AREA, AND METHOD FOR REGISTERING LOCATIONS AND TRANSMITTING AND RECEIVING SIGNALS AND SHORT MESSAGES USING THE SYSTEM, published on 23 May 2002; U.S. Patent Application No. 2002/0173320 to Aitken et al., entitled SHORT MESSAGE GATEWAY, published on 21 Nov. 2002; U.S. Patent Application No. 2002/0183081 to Elizondo Alvarez, entitled PROVISION OF SHORT MESSAGE SERVICES, published on 5 Dec. 2002; U.S. Patent Application No. 2002/0193127 to Martschitsch, entitled METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PREPARING AND TRANSMITTING SMS MESSAGES IN A MOBILE RADIO NETWORK, published on 19 Dec. 2002; U.S. Patent Application No. 2003/0013464 to Jean Henry-Labordere, entitled IMPLEMENTATION OF SHORT MESSAGES SENDING TO MOBILE NETWORKS WITH MOBILE NUMBER PORTABILITY OR INCOMPLETE NUMBERING PLANS WITH AUTOLEARNING, published on 16 Jan. 2003; U.S. Patent Application No. 2003/0045309 to Knotts, entitled INTER-CARRIER SHORT MESSAGING SERVICE PROVIDING PHONE NUMBER ONLY EXPERIENCE, published on 6 Mar. 2003; U.S. Patent Application No. 2003/0154257 to Hantsch et al., entitled METHOD AND DEVICE FOR FORWARDING SHORT MESSAGES FROM A MOBILE TERMINAL published on 14 Aug. 2003; U.S. Patent Application No. 2004/0005901 to Ala-Luukko, entitled METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ROUTING OF SHORT MESSAGES IN A TELECOMMUNICATION SYSTEM, published on 8 Jan. 2004; and U.S. Patent Application No. 2004/0110489 to Murri et al., entitled METHOD AND DEVICE FOR HANDLING TELEPHONE CALLS DIRECTED TO NON-REACHABLE MOBILE PHONES, published on Jun. 10, 2004.